Austin is the director of ‘Til Dawn, Youth in Arts’ award-winning teen a cappella group and has facilitated over 30 youth retreats. He also donates his time and musical talent to a wide range of educational, social and environmental organizations (including The Freight & Salvage and Bread & Roses). He has co-facilitated three of YES!’s Leveraging Privilege for Social Change Jams and recently retired from the board of Rainforest Action Network where he served for 3 years.
Austin’s music has been featured on TV (NBC’s The Sing Off and MTV’s Road Rules) and on the soundtrack of two indie documentaries, (“Word Wars,” and “A Lawyer Walks into a Bar…”). He was hired to co-write the theme song to THRIVE!,a feature-length film slated for wide release in Spring 2011.
Austin loves many different types of music and has been able to use that love (and his wide-ranging vocal ability) to help recreate dozens of rock and pop classics for Guitar Hero (Queen, Wolfmother, Sum 41 & Incubus) and Karaoke Revolution (Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Boy George, Stevie Wonder, The Bee Gees, Maroon 5, Michael Jackson and many more!).
At present, Austin is hard at work on the 7th House Jacks CD (due Summer 2010) his 3rd solo EP (due Summer 2010) and his 4th solo CD (due Spring 2011).
Hold Your Hand
Austin Willacy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and we make evil men
bottom feeders in this sea of sin
revelations cannot soothe me
not the way you do
i will never drive that fast again
tell me i can hold your hand again
and god made good girls
but we don't let them fly
we pull their wings off and drag them from the sky
justification is perpetuation
but everything must die
i will never drive that fast again
tell me i can hold your hand again
if this is christmas where is jesus christ
we only seek him when we know we're right
merry christmas
all that fruitcake blocks the holy light
i will never drive that fast again
tell me i can hold your hand again
i will never be that man again
tell me i can hold your hand again
The song "Hold Your Hand" by Austin Willacy is a powerful and thought-provoking piece that juxtaposes the concepts of good and evil, faith and doubt, and love and loss. The song begins with the lines "and god made good boys and we make evil men," which suggest a deep sense of disillusionment with human nature and the way that society operates. The idea of bottom feeders in a sea of sin further illustrates the bleakness and hopelessness that the singer feels. However, in the midst of this darkness, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of the person that the singer is addressing. The line "revelations cannot soothe me, not the way you do" suggests that there is something about this person that brings comfort and solace to the singer.
The second verse of the song continues the theme of disillusionment and despair, this time focusing on the treatment of women. The contrast between "god made good girls" and the way that society treats them is striking, and the images of pulling their wings off and dragging them from the sky are powerful and disturbing. The line "justification is perpetuation, but everything must die" suggests that the singer believes that this cycle of violence and oppression will continue unless something is done to break it.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most biting and satirical, focusing on the way that Christmas has become commercialized and devoid of its true meaning. The line "we only seek him when we know we're right" speaks to the way that faith can be used as a weapon, rather than a comfort. The final lines of the song "I will never drive that fast again, tell me I can hold your hand again" are a plea for connection and intimacy in the face of all the darkness and despair that the singer has been grappling with.
Line by Line Meaning
and god made good boys
Boys are innately good because they are created by God.
and we make evil men
Society shapes boys into men who may do evil things.
bottom feeders in this sea of sin
Men are like fish who scavenge for survival in a world filled with immorality.
revelations cannot soothe me
Even holy scriptures cannot provide peace in a world of chaos.
not the way you do
But the companionship and affection of a loved one can bring solace.
i will never drive that fast again
The singer vows not to risk his life recklessly anymore.
tell me i can hold your hand again
The singer wants to feel safe and comforted by a loved one again.
and god made good girls
Girls are also inherently good because they are created by God.
but we don't let them fly
Society restricts girls' freedom and potential.
we pull their wings off and drag them from the sky
People stifle girls' aspirations and dreams in a cruel way.
justification is perpetuation
Justifying oppressive behavior only reinforces it over time.
but everything must die
All things must come to an end, including wickedness.
if this is christmas where is jesus christ
The singer questions the true meaning of Christmas and where Jesus' love and teachings are in a world full of greed and hate.
we only seek him when we know we're right
People only turn to Jesus when they want validation for their beliefs, rather than seeking true spiritual guidance.
merry christmas
A sarcastic greeting that implies Christmas has lost its true meaning.
all that fruitcake blocks the holy light
The excess and superficiality of holiday traditions gets in the way of experiencing genuine spirituality and positivity.
i will never be that man again
The artist admits past flaws and vows to be a better person.
tell me i can hold your hand again
The singer implores for the comfort of a loved one during a time of self-improvement.
Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.